How can I shoot Christmas Lights??

[ChowChi-Ching]

What is the best way to shoot Christmas lights? I am having so much trouble getting good christmas light pictures. I either white it out and you see the tree like it was day time, or if I turn the flash off, I get a very yellow(gold) hazy look around everything. I wanted to take some good pictures for christmas this year but I am not having any luck. I just got my camera not too long ago so I haven't mastered it completely yet, I have a Nikon D70s. Any help you can give would be VERY greatly appreciated.

I am looking at taking pictures of people in front of the tree as well as just shots of the tree. Thank you!!

[JSPhoto]

These are not great, but give me a starting point, and maybe will help you as well.

They were shot using 1D MKII N and Canon 70-200mm USM IS with the following settings: WB Auto, Shutter 1/20, ISO 1250, f2.8, Spot Metering,
I was in my truck and used the door to steady the camera.

JS

[Cowgirl]

First of all, I always try to catch the magical blue dusk period, so that my sky is not completely black.

Second, I try to use a tripod, shutter release, mirror lock up. I usually try to get a larger DOF, so I use F22 or so. Bracket 1/2 stops.

I haven't done too much xmas lights with my digital, but I always had excellent colors with velvia and provia slide films. I also sometimes use a star filter for added dreamy effects if needed.

Best wishes!
Kathy

[Speed]

What is the best way to shoot Christmas lights? I am having so much trouble getting good christmas light pictures. I either white it out and you see the tree like it was day time, or if I turn the flash off, I get a very yellow(gold) hazy look around everything. I wanted to take some good pictures for christmas this year but I am not having any luck. I just got my camera not too long ago so I haven't mastered it completely yet, I have a Nikon D70s. Any help you can give would be VERY greatly appreciated.

I am looking at taking pictures of people in front of the tree as well as just shots of the tree. Thank you!!

I gather you're shooting inside.

For tree shots, use a tripod, shoot in manual mode, and adjust the apeture/shutter speed until you get the look you're happy with. Try different WB modes. I would start with Auto, and if I wasn't happy with it, then I'd try some other settings.

For shots with people as well, I'd consider using slow snyc mode AKA balanced fill flash, to properly expose the people and the lights on the tree.

Experiment and see what works for you.

[DHbiker]

Keeping the camera steady is also a big key when shooting the christmas lights so they don't come out as a big blur.

[Sebastian]

The range of brightness between the lights and the items they are mounted on guarantees two things:

Either the lights are exposed properly and everything else is completely pitch black

-or-

The house/tree is exposed well and the lights are blown out

For the sake of mood and context in the photo, option 2 is pretty much the only acceptable one. Option one will only get you lots of little dots.

Tripod, long exposures.

[ChowChi-Ching]

Thank you everyone, I will be experimenting alot today to try and see what I can get. I am trying to take indoor Christmas tree pictures. Thanks for all you answers and if there is anything else anyone thinks I should try....post it! LOL

[another view]

Good advice here - it will take experimenting but it looks like you're on the right track.

Please put "help" related questions into the help forum here though.